Lamp-fabricating apparatus



A. H. LAIDIG 3,103,397

LAMP-FABRICATING APPARATUS Original Filed May 19, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1sept. 1o, 11963 HUUR/VFY.

Sept. 10, 1963 A. H. I AlDlG 3,103,397

LAMP-FABRICATING APPARATUS original Filed May 19. 1960 5 sheets-sheet 2FIG. 2.

eemqm@ BSL FLASHN@ INVENTOR.

ALFRED H. LAIDIG BY SePf- 10, 1953 A. H. LAIDIG 3,103,397

LAMP-FABRICATING APPARATUS Original Filed May 19. 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR; f l yALFRED H. LAIDIG v BY El #L Sept. 10, 1963 A.H.L.A1D1G3,103,397

LAMP-FABRICATING APPARATUS Original Filed May 19. 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 4i l i I INVENTOR.

ALFRED H. LAIDIG BY Sept. 10, 11963 A. H. LAIDIG 3,103,397

LAMP-FABRICATING APPARATUS 230 V- 60- AQVOLTAGE SUYPLY FIG. 7.

SMU

-IM AMPezss Cmcumzv ILM oo l A .n

3.00 4.oo noo 6.00

Il AMPERES INVENTOR.

ALFRED H. LAIDIG BY r e ,Il 4

United States Patent O 7 Claims. (Cl. 3145-27) The present inventionrelates to apparatus lfor manufacviccs and fiuorescent lamps, and moreparticularly, to automatic apparatus for flashing the filaments ofquartz infrared lamps and for seasoning such lamps. This application isa continuation of application S.N. 30,104, filed May 19, 1960, nowabandoned, and owned by .the present assignee.

In the automatic manufacture of incandescent lamps and discharge devicesby automatic apparatus (of the type shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,254,905,issued Sep-tember 2, 1941, to D. Mullan) such lamps and devices arecarried in the heads of a horizontally-disposed turret through aplurality of work stations where automatic tooling is disposed inoperative :relation to such lamps and devices. Tubular incandescentlamps and fluorescent lamps are automatically manufactured on apparatusof the type shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,671,986, issued March 16, 1954,to C. Wiener. This latter type of machine has two turrets which aredisposed either horizontally or vertically, which are provided withlamp-supporting heads and which transport the lamps to the automatictooling located at the various work stations.

Heretofore, in the case where the automatic tooling associated with theabove-mentioned apparatus could not be fixedly mounted in operativerelation to the work (i.e. the lamp or device) at a particular workstation without interfering with the indexing movement of such work intothe work station, the automatic tooling was movably mounted adjacent thework station and moved into operative relation with respect to the workafter such workhad been indexed into the work station. When theparticular automatic tooling was massive in size and in weight, movementof such massive automatic tooling into operative relation with respecttothe work was impractical, with the attendant result that manyfabricating operations could not heretofore be automated with existingconventional principles and apparatus.

Itis lthe general object of the present invention to avoid and overcomethe foregoing and other difficulties of and objections to prior `artpractices by the provision of lampfabricating apparatus which permitsthe automation of fabricating operations performed by massive tooling.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of alamp-fabricating yapparatus which moves the work into operative relationwith respect to fixed massive automatic tooling.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision ofautomatic apparatus for the fiashingof the filaments of quartz infraredlamps of varying length and having an ladjustable take-up device for theextended flexible electrical cables, which 4take-up device cooperateswith one adjustable turret of such apparatus.

The aforesaid objects of the present invention, and other objects whichwill become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved byproviding lamp-fabricating apparatus comprising a movable conveyor,lamp-supporting means carried by said conveyor, movable with respectthereto and operable to support a lamp, means connected to said conveyorfor moving said lamp-supporting means and said lamp along a path ofmovement to a work station, massive fabricating means at said workstation for perturing articles such as incandescent lamps, discharge de#I mossa? Patented Sept. 10, 1963 forming a fabricating operation on saidlamp, and means at said work station `for engaging said lamp-supportingmeans while said lamp-supporting means is at said work station and formoving said lamp-supporting means and said lamp carried thereby awayfrom said conveyor in order to position said lamp in operative relationwith respect to said massive fabricating means so that the latter canperform the fabricating operation on said lamp. When thelamp-fabricatinglapparatus is employed as a lamp-finishing machine to flash thefilaments of infrared quartz lamps of varying length and to season suchlamps, a cable take-up device is employed.

For a better understanding of the present invention reference should behad to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals of referenceindicate similar parts thtoughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. l is a fragmentary side-elevational View, partially in section, ofa lamp-finishing machine for flashing the filaments of quartz infraredlamps and for seasoning such lamps and showing the flashing station 'ofsuch lampfinishing machine with the improved filament-flashing apparatusof the present invention disposed thereat.

FIG. 2 is an end-elevational view of the lamp-finishing machine alongthe line Il-II of FIG. 1- in Vthe direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary Vertical-sectional view along the lineIlI--III of FIG. 4 in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. -4 isa vertical-sectional view along the line IV-IV of FIG. 3 inthe direction of the arrows. v

FIG. 5 is a wiring diagram of the lamp-seasoning circuits (which arerendered inoperative at the filamentflashing station), and thefilament-hashing circuit and the magnetic-field-producing circuit at thefilamentfiashing station, both of which latter circuits use directcurrent. v

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 of an alternative embodiment of thefilament-flashing circuit and the "magnetic-field-producing circuitusing alternating current therein. y

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic View of the indexing means for thelamp-finishing machine and the drive means for the head-reciprocatingmechanism, which diagrammatic view serves as a continuation of theleft-hand portion `of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a graph of the magnet current (IM) in amperes versus lampcurrent (IL) in amperes. p

FIG. 9 is a side-elevational view of a quartz infrared lamp which isflashed by the improved method of and apparatus :for flashing such lampsand which is seasoned on the lantp-iinishing machine.

Although the principles of the present invention lare broadly applicableto the flashing of lamp filaments, the

present invention is particularly adapted for the flashing ofhorizontally and longitudinally disposed filaments of quartz infraredlamps and hence it has been so illustrated and will be so described. I l

In `copending `application S.N. 30,269; filed May 19, 1960, nowabandoned, and tcopending application S.N. 99,331, yfiled February 14,1961, :both owned by the present assignee, are claimed yan apparatus forsetting a coiled metallic filament wherein the filament is supported bya magnetic field vduring the so-called flashing operation. The preferredembodiment of the present invention is `an improvement over theapparatus which is claimed in 4these foregoing copending applications. l

With specific reference to the formof the present in' ventionillustrated in the drawings, and referring particu- As shown in FlG. 9,this quartz infrared lamp 14 has an elongated tubular envelope 16 ofquartz with the filament 12 extending along the longitudinal axisthereof and connected at each end to a ribbon 18 which is hermeticallysealed to a liattened seal portion 2li of the envelope 16. The filament12 is supported at spaced intervals along, its length by discs 22 whichare secured to the filament as .disclosed in U.S. application Serial No.861,861, filed December 24, 1959, by William L. Brundige et al. andassigned to the assignee of the present invention. At each end of thequartz infrared lamp 14, a pair of inner lead wires 24 rare connected tothe ribbon 18 and project from the flattened seal portion 20 forconnection to a rigid portion of an outer lead Wire 26. This outer leadWire 26 `also has a flexible portion extending from a base 23 whichencases the flattened seal portion 20, inner lead wires 24, and therigid portion of the outer lead Wire 26.

As shown in FIG. 2 such quartz infrared lamp 14 is manuallyy loaded (asyindicated by the arrow and associated legend IN) into a hea-d 30 of thelamp-finishing machine at Station 1, which lamp-finishing machine 10land its oper-ation will now be described.

Lamp-Finishing Machine Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be notedthat the lamp-finishing machine 11i comprises essentially a pair ofwheel-like conveyors 32K and 32L which are keyed to a shaft 34journalled in pedestals 36K and 36L shown 'in FIGS. 1 and 7. `One of theconveyors 32K is movable longitudinally along the shaft 34 and can besecured thereto in any desired position between the solidline positionan-d the dotted-line position shown in FIG. l to accommodate any lengthof quartz infrared lamp 14. A plurality of lamp holders SSR and SSL(forty-eight are shown in FIG. 2) are mounted in equi-spaced rela- -tionon the periphery of the conveyors SZR and 32L respectively with eachregistering pair of lamp holders SSR and SSL aligned parallel to theshaft 34 to constitute a head 31B for reception of a quartz infraredlamp 14 at Station 1 (FIG. 2).

Since the lamp holders SSR and 38L (FIGS. 1 and 4) are identical it isdeemed sutlicient to describe the lamp holders 38L, which are shown inFIGS. 2 and 3. It will be understood however that the reference numeralsshown in the drawings and followed by the reference letter R refer toelements identical to those referred to in the following description andfollowed by the reference letter L Further, in this instance the suiiixreference letters L and R indicate elements on the left and right siderespectively of FIG. l.

I-n order to permit radial reciprocating rnovement of each lamp holderSSL, such lamp holder SSL is `mounted on a slide 401. (FIGS. 1 and 4)which is retained by a retaining plate 44L in a suitable guide slot in a`guide 42L (affixed to the conveyor SEL). So that the lamp holder `SSLwill be retained in its normally IN position shown `at Station l (FIG.2) within the guide slot, such slide 401J is biased radially inwardly bya tension spring 46L to the position shown in FIG. 2 as deterruined bythe engagement of an adjustable stop 4SL (FIG. 4, carried by the lampholder SSL) `with the conveyor 32L.

As shown in FIG. 4, each lamp holder SSL comprises an electricallyinsulated body SWL provided Iwith a lbasereceiving slot 5.2L and alead-Wire clearance slot 54L. In order to manually load the quartzinfrared lamp 14 into the lamp holders SSR and ESL of lthe head 3() atStation 1, the flexible portions of the outer lead wires 26 are fedthrough the base-receiving slots SZR and 52L and the lead-wire clearanceslots 54K and 5411. The protruding end portions of such outer lead wires26 are first pulled taut to seat the bases 28 in the base-receivingslots 52R and 52L and are then secured in spring clips 56B. yand S6L,which serve the dual function of securing the bases 26 in thebase-receiving slots S-Z-R and SZL and of .functioning `as electricalconnections for introducing iiashing and seasoning current to the quartzinfrared lamp 14, as hereinafter explained.

Thereafter, the now loaded head 30 Vat Station l is indexed in clockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 2, from work station to work station by anindexing mechanism (FIG. 7).

Indexing M echansm In order to achieve this indexing movement of the nowloaded head 30, a conventional indexing wheel 58 (FIG. 7) is mounted onthe shaft 34 adjacent the pedestal 36L .and is driven by .an indexingcam 60 mounted on a stud shaft 62. The drive means `for t-he indexingcam 60 comprises .a motor 64, `an associated `gear reduction unit 66 anda `belt drive 68 connecting the stud shaft 62 to the gear reduction unit66.

Continued operation of this indexing mechanism indexes the now loadedhead 30 and the quartz infrared lamp 14 carried thereby through idleStations 212 (FIG. 2) and into Station 13, the filament-flashingstation, where the reciprocable head 30 and the quartz infrared lamp `14are moved radially from their heretofore normally IN position (by ahead-reciprocating mechanismr, FIGS. 1-4) to `the position shown inFIGS. 1-4 and into operative relationship -with respect to amagneticfield-producing apparatus disposed adjacent Station 13,preparatory `for the filament-flashing operation.

Head Reciprocating Mechanism When the head 3i) indexes into Station 13,the filament-flashing station, pull-down arms 70K and 7tlL on the slides40R and` MIL respectively pass beneath and into registry with shoes 72Rland 72L of the head-reciprocating mechanism, which shoes 72R and 72Lare then disposed in the dotted-line positions shown in FIG. 4 adistance d above the final dwell (dotted-line) positions of thepull-down arms 7 11R and 7 0L.

As shown in FIGS. 1-4, the shoe 72R is adjustably mounted on an arm 74which is adjustably keyed to a rock shaft 76 (FIG. l) jouinalled inpedestals '78R and 7SL. The shoe 72L is -adjustably carried by one endof a lever 80 fixedly keyed to the rock shaft 76, with a roller on theother end of the lever 80 being biased by a spring 82 (FIG. 1) intoengagement with a cam84 on a stud shaft 86. In order to utilize theaforementioned stud shaft 62 (FIG. 7) `as the drive means for the shaft86, a lbevel gear 68 on such stud shaft 62 drives a bevel gear 90 on ashaft `92, which shaft 92 then drives the shaft 86 by means of a 'bevelgear 94 on the shaft 92 and a bevel gear 96 on .the shaft 36.

After the head 50 `and the quartz infrared lamp 14 carried thereby haveindexed into Station 13, the filamentflashing station, the cam 84rotates the lever 8i), the rock shaft 76, the arm 74 and shoes 72R and'72L in clockwise direction, as Viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3, against theaction of spring 82 (FIG. 1)'so that such shoes 72R and 72L first move`downwardly a distance d (FIG. y4) in-to engagement with the pull-downarms 70K and 70L. Thereafter such shoes 72K and 72L, the now engagedpulldown arms 7R and '701. and the head 3d continue down- Wardlytogether (against the action of the springs 46K and 46L) a distance d1(FIGS. 3 and 4) from the dotted-line position (FIG. 4) to the solid-lineposition shown therein, thus disposing the Ihead 30 and quartz infraredlamp 14 transversely between pole pieces 100a (FIG. 3) of the magneticfield-producing apparatus. During this downward movement the shoes -72Rand 72L have travelled a total distance d2 (i.e. d4-d1, FIG. 4). Thequartz infrared lamp 14 which is now disposed in the solid-line positionshown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is now prepared for the simultaneous energizationof a filament-flashing circuit (FIGS. 5 and 6) and amagneticfield-producing circuit for the performance of thefilament-flashing operation. In the following description the referencenumerals followed by suiix reference letters F and M indicate similarelements associated with the filament-dashing circuit andmagnetic-tield-producing circuit respectively.

Filament-F lashing Circuit In the direct-current embodiment of thefilamentflashing circuit shown in FIG. 5, a variable voltage transformer102F is connected across line volta-ge conductors 104 and 106 whichextend from a suitable line voltage source indicated by the legend "230V460 cycle A.C. Voltage Supply. An output tap 1081j of the variablevoltage transformer 102F is connected by a line 109 to a cam-operatedswitch 110]? (closable by a cam 111, FIG. 7, on the shaft 86) landthence to the input side of a full-Wave rectifier bank 112F and thenback to the variable voltage transformer 102F.

A conductor 114 extends from the positive output kside `of the rectifierbank 1121:` through a Variable resistor 116F -to a segmental commutatorring 118 on a stator '120 (FIG. 1) mounted on the frame of thelamp-finish'- ing machine land provided with a central clearanceaperture 122. Adjacent Station 13 the segmental commutator ring 11S isof course electrically conducting. Forty-eight brushes 124 (one `foreach head 30) are carried =by a rotor 126 mounted on the shaft 34 andsuch brushes 124 ride on the segmental commutator ring 118.

In order to connect the brush 124 at Station 13 with the quartz infraredlamp 14 at such station, an input cable 128 extends from such brush `124vthrough the central aperture 122 and a cable-carrying conduit 130(mounted on cable-supporting discs 132, BIG. 1, aflixed to the shaft 34and the iixed conveyor 32L) to the spring clip 56L.

To provide a return connection for the quartz` infrared lamp 14 to thenegative side of the rectifier bank 112F, first an output cable 134extends from the spring clip 56K around a cable takeup device'136 (FIGS.1 and 2) through the cable-carrying conduit 130 to a brush 124 on therotor 126, which brush 124 rides on a second seg; mental commutator ring118 on the stator 120. rilhe segmental commutator ring 118 is thenconnected by a line 128 (FIG. 5) through an ammeter 139F (for indicatinglamp current in amperes) to the negative side of the rectiiier bank112F.

It will be understood from a consideration of FIGS. 1 and 2 that each:of the six cable-carrying conduits 130 carries eight such input cables128 and eight such rep turn cables 134, which eight pairs of cablesservice eight adjacent heads 30. y

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the adjustably mounted cable take-updevice 136 comprises a radially iianged Wheel adjustably mounted on theshaft 34 to take up the slack in the six sets of eight return cables134. Each of such six sets of `eight return cables 134 pass around aroller 140 mounted in an arm 142 of the cable take-up device 136. j

Closure of the gang-operated switch 110F and a switch 110M (FIG. 5) inthe magnetic-iield-producing circuit by the cam 111 on the shaft 86simultaneously energizes the filament-hashing circuit and themagnetic-heldproducing circuit.

Magnetic-Fieiti-Producing Circuit In the embodiment of thismagnetic-tield-producing circuit shown in FIG. 5, a variable voltagetransformer 1021/1 is disposed across the line-voltage conductors 104and 106 and has itsxoutput -tap 10SM connected through the cam-operatedswitch 110M to one side of the primary of a step-down transformer 144,with the other side of such primary being returned to the voltagedivider 102M. The secondary of the step-down transformer 144 isparalleled with a rectifier bank 112M, the positive output terminal ofWhich rectiiier bank 112M being joined through a Variable resistor 116Mto one side of the coil 15001 of a `first electromagnet 161m` of themagnetic-tieldproducing apparatus. A suitable line extends :from theother side 'of coil 150a through an -ammeter 139M (for indicating magnetcurrent in amperes) to the negative side of the rectilier bank 112M.

In order to accommodate quartz infrared lamps14 of greater length thanthe lamp 14 shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, coils 15011, 150C etc. of otherelectromagnetics 160b, 160e, etc. respectively (shown in FIG. l anddiagrammatically in FIG. 5) can be placed in parallel with the coilf150a of the lirst eleotromagnet 160k: and energized by manual closureof switches 1706, 170C, etc. respectively.

Having described the magnetic-tield-producing circuit Which constitutesthe major portion of the magnetic-lield-producing apparatus thedescription of such apparatus Will now be completed.

M agnetz'c-Field-Producing Apparatus As shown in FIGS; l and 4, themagnets 160g, 160-b, etc. have diiferent lengths and are positionedadjacent each other .to accommodate the various lengths of the differentrtypes of quartz infrared lamps 14. Additionally, in order to provide acontinuous uniform magnetic iield along each longitudinalhorizontally-disposed filament 12, the coil 15011, for example, ofmagnet 16017 is disposed below (and also slightly overlaps) the coils150a and 150C of adjacent magnets 16011 and 160C respectively. l

Closure of the gang-operated switches 110F and 1-10M by the cam 1111, ashereinbefore mentioned, simultaneously energizes the filamentashingcircuit and the magnetic-iield-producing circuit. Energization of theiilament-asbing circuit causes a current to flow through .the filament`12` to raise it to its temperature of recrystaillization While thelatter circuit enables the magnetic-fieldproducing apparatus to providea magnetic iield around the lament 12. The force on the current-carryingfilament 12, exerted by lthe magnetic field at right angles .to both themotion of the current and the direction of the magnetic eld cancels theforce of gravity on such lament y12 during the filament-flashingoperation, will now be explained in detail.

VThe tilament 12 (which for purposes of illustration only Iwill beassumed to be a lament for use in a 500 watt quantz infrared lamp i114)has the following vcharacteristics:

Wire diameter 0.0091 or .0231 cm. Filament I.D. 0.044 or 0.112 cm.Filament T.P.I 88.7.

i Filament T.P. cm. 34.9.

Wt. of lament 0.117 grams/cm.

or 9.36 dynes/cm. of tungsten wire. 1

As is well known in the art, .the force (F) in dynes exerted by amagnetic field or a current-carrying conductor is related to the densityof the magnetic field (B) in gausses; the current in the conductor (IL)in amperes; and a constant K by the following formula:

Since in the instant case the conventional current carrying conductor isreplaced by the helix-shaped filament the following relationship:

3650 I M B--- 2.0213-44-525SUM) where 360=No. of turns in the magnet 16%4=inches in the length of the pole pieces 14Min 2.021'3=No. Aof ampereturns in 1 `gauss absolute.

In the calculation of Ithe constant K the force (F) in dynes exerted bythe magnetic field was considered as 9.36 dynes/ cm. of tungsten wire inthe filament 12.

A 9.36 9.36 Hence K (calculated) equals JLB or IL 44L5258 IM As anexample it will be noted from FiG. 8 that equilibrium is obtained atpoint A on the curve when 11,:41) and IM=1.65, whence After apredetermined scheduled period of time (as determined by the cam 111),the gang-operated switches IWF and 1MM Iare opened by the cam i111, thusdeenn ergizing the filament-flashing circuit and magneticheld-producingcircuit. The flashed filament 12 is now sufficiently recrystallized topermit further dashing under the full force of gravity at Station 14 ifdesired. The spring 82 of Ithe head-reciprocating mechanism and thesprings 46R and 6L of the head 3G then cause retraction of suchhead-reciprocating mechanism, the head litt and the now-flashed quartzinfrared lamp 14 carried thereby from the solid-line position shown inFIGS. 14 to the dotted-line position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4,preparatoryfor the indexing movement of the head 30 to Station 14, anormally idle station, which may be employed for furtherfilament-flashing to complete recrystallization of the filament 12.

From Station 15 through Station 42 the quartz infrared lamp .14 isseasoned by operation of a plurality of lamp-seasoning circuits, FIG. 5.

Lamp-Seasoning Circuits These lamp seasoning circuits, one for eachseason* ing station, each comprise a variable-voltage transformer 1028(FIG. connected across the line-voltage conductors 104 and 1616 4andalso to the input side of the individual seasoning circuit (indicated bythe legend Seasoning Circuits). The output side of the seasoning circuitis joined to a conducting segment of the hereinbefore mentionedcommutator rings 118 and 11S' and then through the brushes 124 and 124respectively to the quartz infrared lamp 14.

At Station 47, the discharge station, the outer lead wires 26 lof thenow flashed and seasoned quartz infrared lamp 14 are removed from thespring clips 561?. and 56LV and the lamp 14 taken out of the head 301.

It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the objects ofthe present invention have been achieved by the provision of automaticlamp-fabricating apparatus which moves the work away from its normalpath of movement and into operative relation with respect to xed massiveautomatic tooling, `thus permitting the automation 'of the fabricatingoperations performed by such massive tooling. When the `automaticapparatus of the present invention is employed as a lamp-finishingmachine for the flashing of the filaments of quartz infrared lamps 5 ofvarying length, an adjustable take-up device for the extended iexibleelectrical cables of such apparatus is employed for cooperation with anadjustable turret of such apparatus.

As an alternative embodiment of filament-flashing circuit and"magnetic-field-producing circuit reference is made to FIG. 6 wherein avariable voltage transformer 102 is shown disposed across theline-voltage conductors 104 and 166. An output tap 168 of suchvariable-voltage transformer 102 is connected to a switch 11d closableby operation of the cam 1111 on the stud shaft 86. The"magnetic-iield-producing. circuit is disposed in parallel about avariable resistor y1161i' in rthe filament-dashing circuit and comprisesthe variable resistor 116M', the coil 1:30a of the first magnet `1601/1and an ammeter 139M' (for reading the magnetic circuit in lamperes) andthe iilament 12 of the quartz infrared lamp 14.

While in accordance with the patent statutes a preferred embodiment yofthe present invention has been illustrated and described in detail it isto be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto0r thereby.

I claim:

1. Fabricating apparatus Vfor a lamp, comprising a movable conveyor,lamp-supporting means carried by said conveyor, movable with respectthereto and operable to support said lamp, drive means connected to saidconveyor for moving said lamp-supporting means and said lamp along apath of movement to a work station, massive fabricating means at saidWork station for performing a fabricating operation on said lamp, andmeans at said work station for engaging said lamp-supporting means whilesaid lamp-supporting means is at said work station and for moving saidlamp-supporting means and said lamp carried thereby away from saidconveyorin order to position said lamp in operative relation withrespect to said massive fabricating means theneby permitting the latterto perform .the fabricating operation on said lamp.

2. Fabricating apparatus for a lamp comprising a movable conveyor,lamp-supporting means slidably mounted on the periphery of said conveyorfor movement away from and toward said periphery andv operable tosupport said lamp, biasing means connected to said lamp-supporting meansfor normally maintaining said lamp-supporting means on said periphery,drive means connected to said conveyor for moving said lamp-supportingmeans and said lamp along a peripheral path of movement to a workstation, massive fabricating means disposed at said Work station awayfrom said peripheral path of movement for performing a fabricatingoperation on said lamp, and

vmeans at said work station for engaging said lamp-support ing meanswhile said lamp-supporting means is at said work station and for movingsaid lamp-supporting means and said lamp carried thereby away from saidperiphery against the action of said biasing means in order to positionsaid lamp in operative relation with respect to said massive fabricatingmeans thereby permitting the latter to perform the fabricating operationon said lamp.

3. Fabricating apparatus for a lamp, comprising a movable conveyor,lamp-supporting means carried by said conveyor, movable with respectthereto and operable to support said lamp, drive means connected to saidconveyor for moving said lamp-supporting means `and said lamp along apath of movement to ya work station, massive fabricating means at saidwork stati-on for performing a fabricating operation on said lamp,conduit take-up means mounted in :adjustable spaced relation withrespect to said movable conveyor for movement therewith, a plurality offlexible conduits of extended length connected to said lamp-supportingmeans and extending around and supported by said conduit take-up meansto eliminate slack therein, and means at said work station for engagingsaid lamp-supporting means while said lamp-support ing means is at saidWork station and for moving said lamp-supporting means and said lampcarried thereby away from said conveyor in order to position said lampin operative relation with respect to said massive fabricating means,thereby permitting the latter to perform the fabricating operation onsaid lamp.

4. Fabricating apparatus for a lamp, comprising a movable conveyor,lamp-supporting means slidably mounted onthe periphery of said conveyorfor movement away from and toward said periphery and operable to supportsaid lamp, biasing means connected to said lamp-supporting means fornormally maintaining said lamp-supporting means on said periphery, drivemeans connected to said conveyor for moving said lamp-supporting meansand said lamp along a peripheral path of movement to a work station,conduit take-up means mounted in adjustable spaced relation with respectto said movable conveyor for movement therewith, a plurality of ilexibleconduits of extended length connected to said lamp-supporting means andextending around and supported by said conduit takeup means to eliminateslack therein, massive fabricating means disposed at said work stationaway from said peripheral path of movement `for performing a fabricatingoperation on said lamp, and means at said work station for engaging saidlamp-supporting means while said lamp-supporting means is at said Workstation and for moving said lamp-suppor-ting means and said lamp carriedthereby |away from said periphery against the action of saidbiasing'means in order to position said lamp in operative relation withrespect to said massive fabricating means, thereby permitting .thelatter to perform the fabricating operation on said lamp.

5. Apparatus vfor performing a fabricating operation on an article, saidapparatus comprising, aA movable conveyor, article supporting means onsaid conveyor for receiving and retaining said article, articlefabricating means positioned adjacent to the path of said conveyor forperforming a fabricating operation on the article received and retainedby said article supporting means, drive means connected to said conveyortor moving said article supporting means along the path of said conveyorand to and from a position proximate to said article fabricating means,and actuating means Afor moving said article supporting means and thearticle supported thereby fromthe path of movement of said conveyor andinto openative association with said article fabricating means when saidconveyor moves said article supporting means to a position proximate tosaid article fabricating means to permit said article fabricating meansto perform a fabricating operation on the article carried by saidarticle supporting means.

6. Fabricating apparatus for a lamp, said apparatus comprising, amovable damp-supporting means adapted to support rand move a lamp alonga predetermined path, a work station positioned proxim-ate to thepredetermined path of movement of the lamp carried by saidlamp-supporting means, drive means for moving said lamp-supporting meansand the lamp carried thereby along the predetermined path of movement tovand from a position proximate to said Work station, lamp-fabricatingmeans located at said Work station, and 'actuating means for moving saidlamp-supporting means and the lamp carried thereby out of thepredetermined path of movement tand to said lamp-fabricating means whensaid lamp-supporting means .and the lamp carried thereby are movedproximate to said work station by said drive means.

7. Fabricating Kapparatus for an article, said apparatus comprising,means for moving a supporting means and a partially fabricated articlesupported thereby #along a predetermined path, a work station positionedproximate to the predetermined path along which sai-d support-ing meansand said partially fabricated article supported thereby are moved, andactuating means for moving said suppomtin-g means and said partiallyfabricated article supported thereby from their predetermined path tosaid work station when said supporting means and said partiallyfabricated article supported thereby are moved along their predeterminedpath to a position proximate to said work station.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,573,416Eddy Oct. 30, 1951 2,773,731 Chick et al Dec.l ll, 1956 2,791,316 Mullanet al. May 7, 1957 2,855,088 Moses Oct. 7, 1958 2,901,130 Thomas Aug.25, 1959 2,959,267 Boutilliei et al. Nov. 8, 1960

1. FABRICATING APPARATUS FOR A LAMP, COMPRISING A MOVABLE CONVEYOR,LAMP-SUPPORTING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID CONVEYOR, MOVABLE WITH RESPECTTHERETO AND OPERABLE TO SUPPORT SAID LAMP, DRIVE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAIDCONVEYOR FOR MOVING SAID LAMP-SUPPORTING MEANS AND SAID LAMP ALONG APATH OF MOVEMENT TO A WORK STATION, MASSIVE FABRICATING MEANS AT SAIDWORK STATION FOR PERFORMING A FABRICATING OPERATION ON SAID LAMP, ANDMEANS AT SAID WORK STATION FOR ENGAGING SAID LAMP-SUPPORTING MEANS WHILESAID LAMP-SUPPORTING MEANS IS AT SAID WORK STATION AND FOR MOVING SAIDLAMP-SUPPORTING MEANS AND SAID LAMP CARRIED THEREBY AWAY FROM SAIDCONVEYOR IN ORDER TO POSITION SAID LAMP IN OPERATIVE RELATION WITHRESPECT TO SAID MASSIVE FABRICATING MEANS THEREBY PERMITTING THE LATTERTO PERFORM THE FABRICATING OPERATION ON SAID LAMP.